Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item TOWARD A DATA LITERACY ASSESSMENT THAT IS FAIR FOR LANGUAGE MINORITY STUDENTS(2023) Yeom, Semi; O'Flahavan, John; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Data literacy is crucial for adolescents to access and navigate data in today’s technology-driven world. Researchers emphasize the need for K-12 students to attain data literacy. However, few available instructions have incorporated validated assessments. Therefore, I developed and implemented the Data literacy Assessment for Middle graders (DLA-M) that can diagnose students’ current stages fairly and support future practices regardless of their language backgrounds. I initiated the study with two research questions: a) How valid is a newly developed assessment to measure middle-grade students’ data literacy? b) How fairly does the new assessment measure data literacy regardless of students’ language backgrounds?A new assessment purported to measure two competencies of data literacy of 6th to 9th graders: a) Interpret data representations and b) Evaluate data and data-based claims. I used the Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) as a methodological framework to increase the validity of the assessment. I followed the five layers of the ECD framework to develop and implement the DLAM. Then I analyzed the data from implementing the assessment and gathered five types of validity evidence for validation. Based on the collected validity evidence, I concluded that the assessment was designed to represent the content domain that is purported to measure. The assessment had internal consistency in measuring data literacy except for nine eliminated items, and the data literacy scores from the overall assessment were reliable as well. Regarding item quality, item discrimination parameters met the quality criteria, but difficulty estimates of some items did not meet the intended design. Empirical cluster analyses revealed two performance levels from the participants. Differential item functioning analyses showed that item discrimination and difficulty were not differentiated between language minority students (LMSs) and their counterparts with the same data literacy level. These results did not reveal the possibility of unfair interpretations and uses of this assessment for LMSs. Lastly, I found significant interaction effects between the DLAM scores and the two variables about students’ English reading proficiency and use of technology. This study delineated how to develop and validate a data literacy assessment that could support students from different linguistic backgrounds. The research also facilitated the application of a data literacy assessment to school settings by scrutinizing and defining target competencies that could benefit adolescents’ data literacy. The findings can inform future research to implement data literacy assessments in broader contexts. This study can serve as a springboard to provide inclusive data literacy assessments for diverse student populations.Item Exploring the Contributions of Word Knowledge and Figural Reasoning Ability to College Students' Performance on a Measure of Relational Reasoning with Words(2021) Zhao, Hongyang; Alexander, Patricia; Human Development; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Word knowledge has long been considered as one of the most important predictors of reading comprehension, academic achievement, and social development. However, it was relatively narrowly conceptualized and measured as either the number of words individuals know the general meaning of (i.e., breadth) or the simple association between two words (i.e., depth). The problem with such a one-sided view is that the existing measures of word knowledge is limited in revealing the quality of word knowledge, which is characterized by both depth and breadth. In this investigation, by comparison, quality of word knowledge was conceptualized as individuals’ fine-grained understanding of the word meanings as they systematically identified semantic similarities and differences among a group of words. It is believed that through deliberate comparisons among word sets, individual’s understanding of the intricacy, subtlety in the meaning of words can be revealed. Therefore, this study offered a new approach in assessing the word knowledge quality informed by a theoretical model of relational reasoning and its four resulting forms (Alexander & DRLRL, 2012). A novel measure of word knowledge quality, Relational Reasoning with Words (R2W2) was developed and validated in this study. Moreover, the unique contributions of relational reasoning ability and word knowledge to college students’ performance on R2W2 were also analyzed. With a sample that involved 338 participants from four US universities, the study found that R2W2 was a reliable and valid measure for word knowledge quality with sound psychometric properties on the item level. In addition, word knowledge was found to contribute to college students’ performance on R2W2 more than relational reasoning ability. Implications for future research and practice are also presented and discussed.Item Relation between Adolescent Callous-unemotional Traits and Subjective and Physiological Reactions to Social Exclusion(2017) Augenstein, Tara M; De Los Reyes, Andres; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., lack of empathy and guilt toward others) occur dimensionally, across the age range, and in both clinical and nonclinical populations. Among adolescents with co-occurring conduct problems, elevated CU traits are linked to multiple negative outcomes. Yet, little is known about the potential negative or positive impact of CU traits among adolescents at low-risk for displaying conduct problems. Prior research suggests the unique constellation of cognitive, emotional, and biological characteristics associated with CU traits may buffer adolescents’ negative emotional reactions to distressing social situations. In the current study, I tested this idea by examining whether the severity of CU traits impacted adolescents’ experience as victims of a negative social interaction, namely social exclusion. Specifically, I examined the impact of CU traits on adolescents’ self-reported distress following social exclusion, and physiological arousal during exclusion. Participants included a mixed community-based and clinical sample of 86 adolescent-parent dyads. Dyads completed measures of adolescent social anxiety and CU traits. Next, adolescents completed a computerized social exclusion task during which I collected measures of adolescent physiological arousal (e.g., heart rate). Adolescents then completed a subjective distress scale to assess mood and distress following the social exclusion task. Adolescent males and those with clinically elevated levels of social anxiety displayed significantly higher CU traits relative to females or those without clinically elevated levels of social anxiety. Surprisingly, adolescent CU traits were not significantly related to differences in self-reported distress following exclusion. Adolescents’ physiological arousal varied throughout the social exclusion task, with adolescents experiencing increased arousal transitioning from social inclusion to social exclusion, and heightened arousal persisting through the remainder of the task. Adolescent gender and CU trait severity significantly predicted overall physiological arousal during the social exclusion task. Specifically, as CU trait severity increased, adolescent males displayed decreased physiological arousal, whereas no differences in arousal were observed for adolescent females, regardless of CU trait severity. These findings suggest that among male adolescents at low risk for conduct problems, elevated CU traits may serve to buffer negative emotional reactions to aversive social situations.Item Are “Thinkers” More Ethical Than “Doers”? How Regulatory Mode Influences Unethical Behavior(2018) CHERNIKOVA, MARINA; Kruglanski, Arie; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Unethical actions can have a significant impact on both individuals and societies; thus, it is critical to identify factors that can predict such actions. The current research investigated two potential predictors of unethical behavior: locomotion and assessment regulatory mode (Kruglanski et al., 2000). Locomotion refers to the desire for continuous progress or movement in goal pursuit, while assessment refers to the desire to critically evaluate and compare among goals and means. Locomotion was expected to increase individuals’ tendency to behave unethically, whereas assessment was expected to decrease this tendency. Guilt proneness was expected to mediate these effects, such that assessors should be more prone to experiencing guilt, and should behave more ethically; locomotors, on the other hand, should be less prone to experiencing guilt, and should therefore behave less ethically. Furthermore, the effect of locomotion on unethical behavior was expected to be stronger when the unethical action saved more (vs. less) time. The effect of assessment on unethical behavior was expected to depend upon the presence of social standards for such behavior: assessors should act less ethically if there is a strong (vs. weak) social norm for unethical actions. Six studies that utilized a variety of designs and different measures of unethical behavior were carried out in order to test these hypotheses. The results were generally inconsistent with the hypotheses. Some potential explanations and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.Item Assessment in Secondary Music Classrooms: A Replication Study(2017) Gonzales, William Gilibert; Elpus, Kenneth; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to examine assessment practices of secondary school music teachers in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States by replicating the research methods of Russell & Austin (2010). A total of 4,083 invitation emails were sent once a week over the course of three weeks, 840 emails were reported opened by recipients. Though a total 291 responses were received, only 185 questionnaires were usable for analysis. As in Russell & Austin (2010), the majority of respondents reported using traditional letter grades and that their classes are weighted equally with other general education classes for calculating students’ overall grade point average (GPA) and count towards graduation requirements. Participants used both achievement and non-achievement criteria for determining students’ grades. However, on average, the aggregate of non-achievement criteria was weightily slightly heavier than achievement criteria. Regarding influence of respondents specific teaching contexts on grading methods, significant influences were found for teaching specialization, assessment confidence, and instructional time.Item Comparing Multi-Informant Assessment Measures of Parental Monitoring and Their Links with Adolescent Delinquent Behavior(2014) Augenstein, Tara Marie; De Los Reyes, Andres; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Research has identified links between parents' poor monitoring of adolescents' whereabouts and activities and adolescents' increased engagement in delinquent behaviors. This study extended prior work by examining differential relations between parental monitoring measures (i.e., behavioral vs. knowledge measures) and informants (parent vs. adolescent) and adolescent self-reported delinquency. Seventy-four caregivers and adolescents completed survey measures of parental monitoring and parental knowledge, and adolescents completed self-report surveys of delinquent behavior. Adolescents' delinquent behavior related to measures of parental monitoring behaviors and parental knowledge; however, the magnitudes of these relations varied by informant. That is, I observed stronger magnitude relations between adolescent delinquent behavior and parental knowledge measures for parent-report relative to adolescent-report. Conversely, I observed stronger magnitude relations between adolescent delinquent behavior and measures of parental monitoring behaviors for adolescent-report relative to parent-report. These findings inform measurement selection in research and clinical assessments of parental monitoring and adolescent delinquent behavior.Item Development and Initial Validation of the Work Addiction Inventory(2009) Bryan, Nicole A.; Lent, Robert W.; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of the study is to develop and validate the Work Addiction Inventory (WAI). The WAI is designed to assess individual's addiction to work via self-report. Data were collected from 127 working professional employed on at least a part-time (20 hours per week) basis. Results of an exploratory factor analysis retained 24 items and indicated that the WAI consists of three underlying factors. The WAI subscale and total scores showed adequate internal consistency reliabilities. Convergent and discriminant validity was initially supported by the relationship between WAI scores, an existing measure of workaholism, and social desirability. Also, WAI scores correlated highly with several criterion variables. Finally, evidence was found to suggest that the WAI accounts for unique variance beyond an existing measure of workaholism. In conclusion, psychometric properties of the WAI were initially supported by findings of the study.Item Measures of Writing Skills as Predictors of High Stakes Assessments for Secondary Students(2008-01-24) Jones, Karen Anne; Rosenfield, Sylvia; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the potential utility of written expression scoring measures, developed in the curriculum-based measurement research, to monitor student progress and predict performance on a high stakes state mandated assessment for high school students. In response to a teacher generated prompt, 10th-grade students completed 3 brief constructed response (BCR) and 2 extended constructed response (ECR) writing samples throughout the academic year. Writing samples were scored for total words written (TWW), words spelled correctly (WSC), correct writing sequences (CWS), correct minus incorrect writing sequences (CMIWS), percentage of words spelled correctly (%WSC), percentage of correct writing sequences (%CWS), production dependent index, and production independent index. The average time to score a BCR for TWW, WSC, CWS, and CMIWS was over 7 minutes, and the average time to score an ECR was over 16 minutes. Alternate form reliability correlation coefficients between scoring measures were only in the weak to moderate range. Results revealed that girls wrote more words, spelled more words correctly, produced more correct writing sequences, and produced more correct minus incorrect writing sequences. Across writing samples, statistically significant but small increases were found on scoring measures. Results of multiple regression and logistic regression analyses failed to provide a model that accurately predicted student outcomes.Item Student Teacher Exit Portfolios: Is It an Appropriate Measure and a Unique Contribution Toward the Assessment of Highly Qualified Teacher Candidates?(2004-04-26) Simpson, Leslie Jackson; Dudley, James; Education Policy, and LeadershipAbstract Title of Dissertation: STUDENT TEACHER EXIT PORTFOLIOS: IS IT AN APPROPRIATE MEASURE AND A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE ASSESSMENT OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER CANDIDATES? Leslie Ann Jackson Simpson, Doctor of Philosophy, 2004 Dissertation directed by: Dr. James Dudley Professor Emeritus, College of Education Department of Education Policy and Administration The student teacher portfolio, at the forefront of teacher education assessment issues during the past decade, was the topic of this study. The teacher education community has moved beyond the initial concerns about defining a teacher portfolio, identifying appropriate contents of a teacher portfolio, and determining the place of portfolios in a program's assessment system. The teacher education community is now concerned about whether the student teacher exit portfolio is an appropriate measurement of all teacher candidates and contributes possibly unique information to the assessment of the competency of teacher candidates. This study investigated the possible influence of the demographic factors of gender, age, and certification levels of the teacher candidates on the assessment outcomes of student teacher exit portfolios. It also compared the outcomes of traditionally accepted assessments (student teaching grade, Praxis I tests, Praxis II tests, and overall grade point average) with the outcomes of the exit portfolio assessment. This was an ex-post facto study, based upon existing data collected about each teacher candidate (n=76), with no treatment afforded the teacher candidates as part of the study. Two conclusions were drawn from the findings of this study. First, the demographic factors of gender, age, and choice of certification level of the teacher candidates did not appear to influence the outcomes of the exit portfolio. The teacher candidates noted that they valued the portfolio process. Because of these two findings, the exit portfolio was deemed to be an appropriate assessment tool at this institution. Second, the exit portfolio results, compared with the four other assessments, did not indicate correlational statistics of a predictive quality. Therefore, the exit portfolio was considered to contribute information not offered by the other more traditional assessments of the competencies of teacher candidates.